REPORT & QUOTES | Falcons defeated at New Road in low-scorer

Worcestershire Rapids launched their defence of the Metro Bank One Day Cup with a nervy three-wicket win over Derbyshire Falcons at Worcester.

In front of an excellent crowd at New Road, the Falcons were bowled out for 138 in 37.1 overs, unpicked by the spin of Fateh Singh (six for 32 – his List A career-best) and the seam of Beyers Swanepoel (three for 15). Martin Andersson’s 51 from 71 balls for the Falcons was isolated resistance.

The Rapids were made to hard work for their small target but reached 143 for seven with 76 balls to spare. They overcame a big wobble induced by Nick Potts (three for 30) to close out victory thanks to the composure of Gareth Roderick (39*).

After choosing to bowl, the Rapids made just one early breakthrough when Harry Came inside-edged Swanepoel to wicketkeeper Roderick, but Swanepoel’s accurate opening spell of 5-0-12-1 kept a brake on the scoring. Andersson and Brooke Guest (38) added a sedate 73 in 20 overs before the latter fell lbw, playing across a straight ball from Singh.

The spinner then put the Rapids in control as he struck twice with successive balls. Andersson lifted straight to extra cover and Anuj Dal carelessly lifted his back foot and was stumped after missing an attempted drive. The double blow sent the innings into a rut as just three runs came from 20 balls before Singh struck again, bowling Wayne Madsen through a pull.

Ross Whiteley was called for a sharp single by Yousaf Bin Naeem and didn’t make it. Singh’s first List A five-for arrived when he bowled Potts. Ben Aitchison skied Swanepoel to third and Jack Morley nicked Singh to Roderick. Well though the spinner bowled, there was some irresolute and, at times, irresponsible batting from the Falcons.

With such a small total to defend, The Falcons needed to take every chance but when Lategan, having hit three crisp fours on the way to 16, edged Rory Haydon, Madsen grassed the ball at first slip.

The Rapids advanced to 42 without loss before Potts powered the Falcons back into the match with three wickets in his first seven balls. Lategan pulled the seamer’s first ball to fine leg, Brett D’Oliveira slashed to third man three balls later and Jake Libby nicked to wicketkeeper Guest.

Roderick and Kashif Ali stilled the wobble with a stand of 36 until the latter edged Dal behind. When Henry Cullen sent up a skier off Aitchison, the Falcons still had a glimmer of hope but the Rapids, needing 31 from 21 overs with five wickets intact, just had to stay calm.

Matthew Waite ran himself out going for a crazy single and Tom Taylor fell first ball, caught behind off Aitchison, but Roderick was calmness personified and three off-side fours in an over from Swanepoel turned the side back the Rapids’ way.

Falcons head coach Mickey Arthur said:

“We fought hard but that’s what I expect. I thought we had really set ourselves up at 110 for two but there is no way in a million years you should lose eight wickets for 28 runs. It was a challenging wicket, that’s why I was really proud of the way we set it up, but losing eight wickets for 28 should never happen.

“We assessed the wicket and thought we needed about 210 and at 110 for two we were right in there, but then capitulated which is really disappointing. We are good enough to win games, 100 per cent, and we know that and that’s what makes it even more frustrating. In our first game, Stokes played a blinder, but we played a lot of good cricket in that game. Today we were in it until the end but, to be brutally honest, when you lose eight for 28, you don’t deserve to win.

“We are missing a couple through injury but that gives me a chance to look at some other guys and I expect a performance from them on Sunday. I expect us to rebound from this because that isn’t the standard we set for ourselves. We talk about the standards we set but our season has hinged on the the fact that we have done a lot of good things in games but not got over the line and that makes me angry. It frustrates and disappoints me because I know that, deep down, we are a proper cricket side.”